PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Messrs F J STANBURY Ltd The Plymouth business house of Messrs F J Stanbury Limited, builders, was located at number 29 Russell Street, Plymouth, before the Second World War and at Alexandra Works, Alexandra Road, Lipson, Plymouth thereafter. Frederick James Stanbury was born in 1873 to Mr George and Mrs Mary Ann Stanbury, miller, of Mill Tenement, East Buckland, north Devon. He had six brothers and one sister. [1] After attending West Buckland School, near Barnstaple, he took an apprenticeship and qualified as a carpenter and joiner. He removed to Devonport in 1895 and obtained work with a Plymouth firm. In 1898 he set up on his own and among his first contracts were the construction of a chapel at Weston Mill, St Budeaux, and the County Hall at Truro, Cornwall. [2] In 1903 he built his own offices and, later, a joinery works in St Levan Road, at the bottom of Melville Road. When that building was converted into the Palladium Cinema, Ford, in 1917 he moved his offices to the Sun Buildings in Bedford Street and the joinery works to Exeter. [2] Mr Frederick James Stanbury married Miss Ethel Bonetto on October 2nd 1905 at St Mark's Church, Ford. [3] From sometime around 1916 until 1935 he was the War Department's maintenance contractor for the Plymouth and Exeter districts and Bovington Camp in Dorset. He employed some 300 to 400 men on that work alone. In 1935 it was necessary to find larger accommodation and the business took over some land adjacent to the Beechwood Factory in Alexandra Road, which was renamed the Alexandra Works. A new joinery works was erected. The business was turned into a limited company in 1949. [2] Other building work carried out included Mount Wise Swimming Baths, the officer's mess and other accommodation blocks at Seaton Barracks, and many army buildings throughout the South West and Wales. [4] Mr Frederick James Stanbury died on Tuesday June 8th 1954. He was survived by his widow. The business was then placed in the hands of his two sons, Mr Bernard Frederick Stanbury and Mr Laurence J Stanbury, and a daughter, Miss M Stanbury. [4] In the post-war reconstruction of Plymouth the firm restored St Augustine's Church, built the Ernesettle shopping centre, erected a number of local schools and constructed over 3,000 homes, many in the Woodford area of Plympton. [4] Mr Bernard Frederick Stanbury died at his home, "Three Corners", Wrangaton, near Ivybridge, on April 6th 1984. He was 73 years of age and had been ill for some time. He was chairman of the Company and a keen member of the Plymouth and District Rotary Club. He was survived by his widow and two sons, Paddy and Tony Stanbury. After the funeral at Ugborough Parish Church the body was conveyed to the Torquay Crematorium. [5] The date when the business ceased is not known. Sources:
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